Little Red Learns the Hard Way

This story teaches young teenagers and kids not to talk to strangers when they approach them.

Little Red is in her room, on the phone with her boyfriend. With no care in the world about what else is happening. She’s so into her conversation, she doesn’t hear her mother knocking on her door. Truth be told, Little Red wasn’t supposed to be on the phone; her grades were very poor. Still, she ignored her mother’s knocking and comments. Her mother became impatient and tense. Instead of knocking once more, Little Red’s mother opened the door.

“Miss Little Red, I’ve been knocking on this door for the past 10 minutes” her mother said through clinched teeth. “My fault mom, I didn’t hear you. What’s up?” Little Red said, while on the phone with her boyfriend still. “What’s up? I will tell you what’s not up, those grades of yours. I told you one billion times that you aren’t supposed to be on the phone and what do you do? Get on the phone. Keep up with this disobedience, you will find yourself on punishment forever!”, her mother yelled. Little Red told her boyfriend that she would talk to him later. “Mom, I have a social life to keep up with. I can’t live without knowing what’s going on outside of school, so can you just chill?” said Little Red. “Excuse me? You better watch that tone. You know what; I’m not going to keep talking to you about this. I’m just going to add onto your punishment” her mother said. Little Red just looked at her mother. “I need you to do me a favor” her mother finally said. “You want me to do you a favor, and you just went off on me?” Little Red asked. “Actually, you have no choice. I need you to walk to your grandmother’s house and drop off this basket. She isn’t feeling well, and the things in this basket will make her feel brand new” her mother said. Little Red replied “You want me to walk over the bridge, pass the river, into the woods to drop off a basket?” “Yes, I would appreciate it and so will your grandmother”. “Fine mom” Little Red replied.

Little Red took the basket out of her mother’s hand, and walks out of the door. She sighs and grunts once more. Her grandmother’s house was so far. Sometimes, she wished she had a car. Little Red walked over the bridge and then stopped. She looked out into the water, and her mouth dropped. What she saw made tears roll down her face. She seen her boyfriend in a boat with another girl and all her thoughts erased. She shook off the sadness, and just began walking again. She walked pass the river, and into the woods. Then she saw a man, who looked like he was up to no good.

“Excuse me, I need your help” the man said. Little Red looked at him up and down. Then she said with an attitude, “What do you need?” “I seem to be lost, and it looks like you know where you’re going. By the way, where are you headed?” the man asked her. Without thinking Little Red said, “My grandmother’s house. It’s just up the road. You can walk with me there, and when I leave, I can show you where to go”. The man smiled, and said “Thank you kindly”.

Little Red walks with the man the rest of the way. She doesn’t even think about the trouble that’s headed her way. She never thought to herself that this man might be dangerous. She wasn’t cautious. The man had a trick up his sleeve. One that you wouldn’t believe. They finally arrived to their destination. Little Red knocked on the door, with no hesitation.

“Who is it” her grandmother said. “It’s me grandma, Little Red”. “Come on in child. The door is open” her grandmother said. Little Red opened the door, and walked in. The man walked in behind her. “Little Red, who is this man?” her grandmother asked. Little Red gave the basket to her grandmother and said, “Oh, I met him on the way here. He needs directions”. The man just stared at the both of them. “Mister, where are you headed?” the grandmother asked. The man didn’t reply. “Does he know how to talk Little Red?” grandmother asked. “Of course grandma. If he didn’t, how would I know he was lost?” Little Red replied. She didn’t want to show it, but Little Red was starting to regret telling this man, better yet stranger where she was going. The man started smiling. “You know somebody should really teach this young lady not to talk to strangers, it could get very dangerous” he said. The grandmother said “I don’t know what she was thinking mister. Can you tell us where you headed so we can point you into the right direction?” the grandmother asked. Once again, the man didn’t reply. He just stood there smiling. Little Red started getting scared. “Mister, are you going to tell us or not? If you aren’t, you can see yourself out” Little Red said. “I’m not going anywhere” the man said. Little Red looked at her grandmother with fear in her eyes.

Little Red is very afraid, she doesn’t know what to do. She should’ve known what the man said to her was too good to be true. Now she and her grandmother are held hostage. Nobody even lives close to her grandmother’s little cottage. Little Red needs to start thinking about how to trick this man. She had to come up with an ultimate plan.

Little Red started thinking of what she should do. This man was going to harm herself , and her grandmother. “I have to use the bathroom. I will be back” Little Red said. She looked at her grandmother and winked at her. Her grandmother understood what she was doing. Little Red knew her grandmother kept the other phone in the bathroom. She walked into the bathroom, closed the door, and locked it. Little Red picked up the phone and dialed 911. “Yes, 911. Me and my grandmother are being held hostage” Little Red whispered into the phone. She told the police where her grandmother lived. They said they would be there in 5 minutes. Little Red hung up the phone, and walked back to where the man and her grandmother were. She looked at her grandmother and smiled. The grandmother relaxed because she knew what her granddaughter had done. “Now, I have been waiting for this moment for the longest” the man said. He pulled a rope from out of the duffel bag he was carrying. He tried grabbing for Little Red, but the police bust down the door and yelled out “Police! Put your hands above your head, NOW!” Little Red smiled and said “Who’s the idiot now?” The police said to Little Red “We’re glad you called us when you did. That man is known for following little girls around these parts. We finally caught him, thanks to you”. Once again, Little Red smiled. When the police walked out of the little cottage, her grandmother said, “Now girl, the next time you come to my house, don’t bring no more strangers. If you do, you will stay out there with them”. Little Red laughed, and said “Grandma, I will no longer bring any strangers to your house. I don’t even know what I was thinking when I let that man follow me here. My mind wasn’t in the right place.” “Have it in the right place the next trip, you hear?” her grandmother said. “Yes ma’am” Little Red replied. After a few minutes, Little Red told her grandmother that it was time for her to go back home. “Be careful out there” her grandmother said. “I will” she replied back.

Little Red learned her lesson about talking to strangers and allowing them to follow her places. She was dreading to go back home, and telling her mother what happened. She knew her mother would be disappointed in her and probably wouldn’t let her walk to her grandmother’s cottage any longer. Little Red knew she had made a mistake, she made plenty of them, but this would be one mistake she would never make again. She forgot all about her boyfriend and the other girl he was with. She figured he was no good for her anyways. Little Red walked back home, enjoying the minutes she had to herself until she got home.

Subscribe

Get Teen Ink’s 48-page monthly print edition. Written by teens since 1989.